Thermometer-bulb-forming method



Aug. 26, 1930. M. E. CHENEY THERMQMETER BULB FORMING METHOD Original Filed March 24, 1928 Quvenboz "Patented Aug. 26, 1930 UNITED STATES mosns E. CHENEY, for LA 'cnossn, WISCONSIN, AssIeNoR, IBY mnsmassremmnrs, ro'.

MOTO METER GAUGE & EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, or LONG rsznmn 011 1,. NEW

YORK, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE 'rnmmommnnnnrn ronnrne mn'rrion Original application filed March 24,

and of attaching the capillary tubeto said bulb. 'This application is a division of application Serial No. 264,499 filed March 24:,

The object of theinvention .is to construct a thermometer bulb that willwithstand the y severe mechanical strains incidentto certain and all separate parts are dispensed with,

kinds of use, such as when appliedito the motor of an automobile or similar uses,wher,e it is subjectedto excessiveheat, high pressures and considerable vibration, also the strains incident to careless handling. r 1

- The method employed herein obviates difficulties heretofore met with in soldering the fragile capillary 'tubeproperly to the metal bulb, in that a minimum of areato be soldered is provided by this improved method and any thereby reducing expense such as the] expert tacle having one end closed, which thereafter skill required in soldering prior devices and simplifying the method of assembling the parts. ,p I l Furthermore, the method' is peculiarly adapted to the formation of a thermometer wherein an armoredmeniber is employed to' protect the capillary against accidental bends and sharp turns; for the particular method herein employed not only a stronger bulb than those'heretofore used but it forms an inner surface especially adapted to the armored memberv and the solder that is required to hold the capillary properlywithin the bulb.v For this and other reasons, the method consists in a general way of forming the bulb, from a single-sheet of metal which is first formed into a cartridge shaped recepby a series of drawing, punching and spinning operationsis worked into a, tube have ing the open end partially closed by} forming a very much reduced portion intermediate the body and'the-end and a slightly'reduced 1 portion beyond the saidintermediate portion,

thereby presentingabulb structure of ;one

piece, but having aneck'anda chamber of proper size extending beyond the neck, the

1528, Serial No. 264,489." Divided and this application filed. December? 18,1923. serm ln aaane. R

inner jwa'lls'of the chamber and neck bein v ofsuc'h 'a conformation as to'form a pocket *Other objects and advantages will be in part indicated in the followingdescription and in part rendered apparent therefrom in closure and, in such drawings, likecharacters i. I of reference denote"c0rrespond1ng parts throughout all the views, of which Figure 1 is'a view 'ofthe tube of cartridge 7 near one end; Fig. 3 shows the intermediate neck portion and chamber partially formed.

shape, while Fig. 2 shows the" tube bulged 'Figi'sh'ows the parts assembled imposition while Fig. 5 isan enlarged view'showingthe conformation of the inner neck andchamber.

surfaces of the The ,bulb-markedl is preferably formed of copper or other workable metal and by aseries of operations such as,punching,-drawingand spinning the sheet of metal first as- 'sumes the shape shown in-Fig. land is there- I fforpthe' lovier and of the 'armoredljmember r andfor the solder,whiletheneckalso forms a bearingfor centeringthe capillarytube.

after brought into thefinalshape shown in Figsb "and 6, as fullyuset' forth in-the c0,- pendinq application, the flange 2" (Fig. is prefera ly'first formed'and thereafterthe: reduced neck portion 3 (Figs. 5 and 6) 3 As shown clearly in Figs; 5jand e the inner scribed as acyma reversacurve'whereinithe vsurfaceof'theo'pen end of the tube isiof a convexpart. constitutes the neck and the ex-' treme lower partof the chamber 4 while the concave part forms the adjacent part of the tube proper and this formof curve forms a centering portion for the capillary tube and i also a pocket 'for'the solder marked 5 which It is likewisenapparent that there is a reis desirable for securing the parts Within the tube, the armored member being marked .6.

vduced area for soldering as, compared with prior devices, thereby eliminating the care and skill required when large areas are soldered. Consequently, the completed article has a portion eminently suited to the function 5 of centeringthe capillary and the adjacent 1 portions diverge from that central point and proiect on each side making the bulb especial y desirable as a container for the capillar and medium to be used therein. igs. 3 and 4 illustrate an alternative meth- 0d of forming the neck portion 3 and cup {1. In this latter method the reduced neck portion 3, (see Fig. 3) is formed first, and subsequently the cup 4 is reduced as shown in Fig. 4. It has been found desirable in certain adaptations of the thermometer bulb to omit forming the shoulder 2 thereon and in these cases the intermediate step of forming the shoulder may be advantageously omitted in expediting production.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various utilizations by retaining one or more of the features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of either the generic or specific aspect of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should 0 be. and are intended to be, comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claim.

Having thus revealed this invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations and elements, or equivalents thereof, by Letters Patent of United States The method of forming a metal thermometer bulb from integral bulb blanks having closed and open ends by first reducing the part adjacent the open end for forming a neck intermediate the open and closed ends, thereafter drawing and spinnin said neck ortion until the inner Walls of said, neck orm smooth surfaces having opposing ogee curves and having a contracted portion of the neck co-incident with the convex parts OI 5 each ogee curve with divergent walls on each side of said contracted portion thereby reducing to the minimum the contacting surfaces of the bulb and the capillary, the diverging walls and the capillary forming a pocket adjacent said contracted part for a binding material. I In witness whereof,-I have hereunto subscribed my name.

MOSES E. CHENEY.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. l, 773, 950. Granted August 26, 1930, to

MOSES E. CHENEY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: PageZ, line 39, in the claim, for the word "bulb" second occurrence read tube; and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction therein that. the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 21st day of October, A. D. 1930.

M. J. Moore,. (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

